BOT Approves Cost Guarantee Increase for New Students

March 28, 2014

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL -- The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees approved a 2.99 percent increase in the University's Cost Guarantee (all costs: tuition, fees and room and board) for undergraduate and a 2.97 percent increase for graduate students entering the WIU-Macomb campus in Fall 2014 at its meeting today (March 28).

Undergraduate tuition, fees and room and board are guaranteed for four years, so students entering in Fall 2014 will not see any change in their total costs during their enrollment. Last year's all-costs increase was 4.5 percent.

In Fall 2014, students entering Western's Macomb campus will be charged $8,632.20 in annual tuition, based on 15 hours per semester at a $287.74 per credit hour rate ($7.56 more than the Fall 2013 tuition rate). Graduate tuition for Macomb campus students will be $7,615.44, based on 24 credit hours per year ($317.31 per credit hour compared to $308.96 in Fall 2013).

Yearly room and board increases for entering students will be $260 more per year for double occupancy ($9,450 compared to $9,190 for Fall 2013). Fees for incoming Western-Macomb students will increase by $115.80 per year for students with a 15-hour schedule per semester ($2,650.50 per year beginning Fall 2014).

Quad Cities undergraduate students will see an all-costs increase of 2.72 percent. Undergraduate students entering Western's Quad Cities campus in Fall 2014 will be charged $8,632.20 in annual tuition, based on 15 hours per semester at a $287.74 per credit hour rate. Graduate tuition for WIU-QC students entering in Fall 2014 will be $7,615.44, based on 24 credit hours per year. The fees for new WIU-Quad Cities undergraduate students with a 15-hour schedule per semester will increase by $21 per year ($727.50 per year in Fall 2014).

The Board also approved an increase of 13.07 percent for student health insurance ($934/year). In addition, the Board approved a lesser tuition rate for out-of-state graduate students. Those students will be assessed 1.5 times the in-state rate, rather than the previous two times the in-state rate, beginning with the FY'16 academic year (Fall 2015).

The Board voted for a memorandum of agreement with the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Civil Service Unit B. An agreement was reached Feb. 7 and was ratified by the WIU UPI Civil Service Unit B Feb. 25. As part of the memorandum of agreement, WIU and the UPI Civil Service Unit B agree that the 2011-2015 agreement be extended from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017. In addition, effective July 1, 2014, the board will grant each eligible employee under contract a salary increase of 2 percent for Fiscal Year 2015 [FY'16 - 2 percent, and FY'17 - 1 percent].

The Board approved the purchase of master control services for WQPT ($800,000, WTVP-Peoria), the renewal of a continuous order for pipefitting and supplemental electrician services from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017 ($1.3 million, H & S Mechanical of Mapleton and Roy Keith Electric, Farmington).

In addition, the Board approved the nominations of Sandy Keiser Edwards, a WIU College Student Personnel alumna and the deputy director of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR, and First Lady Michelle Obama as the May 2014 Honorary Doctorate recipients.

The Board approved the second readings regarding changes to mandatory student fees, and termination with notice, which changes the terms required for notice.

The next meeting of the WIU Board of Trustees will be held Friday, June 6 at the WIU-QC Riverfront Campus.